Sonia receives award for her mother-in-law
Bangladesh on Monday conferred its highest state honour on the late Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, posthumously for her outstanding contribution to the War of Independence.
A special ceremony was held at Bangabhaban where the Indian ruling United Progressive Alliance chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, received the posthumous Bangladesh Swadhinata Sanmanona (Freedom Honour) from President Zillur Rahman.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina attended the ceremony along with cabinet members, members of Parliament, foreign diplomats, delegation members of Sonia and distinguished guests.
“By her (Indira Gandhi) political wisdom and vision, she influenced the course of history and the fate of generations,” President Zillur said handing over the posthumous award in the form of a crest to the visiting Indian dignitary who is also the Indian National Congress president.
“The honour is not hers (Indira) alone, it’s India’s,” said Sonia receiving the crest on behalf of her assassinated mother-in-law. The crest, made of gold and weighing three kg, is designed on a 400-year-old terracotta of a “Kadam” tree.
The three-page citation reads: “Indira Gandhi stood by the side of the people of Bangladesh from the beginning of the Liberation War despite various adversities. She provided shelter to about one crore Bangladeshi refugees. She provided courage in the Liberation War by facing different diplomatic hurdles. She played a great role in freeing Bangabandhu from Pakistani jail. Her contribution to Bangladesh’s Liberation War will be remembered forever.”
Cabinet Secretary Abdul Aziz read out the citation recalling Indira’s role in 1971. “I recall with highest gratitude her strong support for the independence of Bangladesh… by honouring Srimati Indira Gandhi for her noble contribution for our freedom, we honour ourselves and revisit the epic of our War of Liberation,” the President told the audience.
He said Indira had inspired millions of Bangladeshis and Indians to fight against all oppression and injustices. “Even after forty years, she remains as a beckon of hope and strength to all of us who aspire to make Bangladesh a true Sonar Bangla, dreamt by the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” the President said.
The Indian leader said she was humbled and was accepting the honour “with a very full heart as I know she (Indira) would have been overwhelmed by the high honour you have bestowed on her”.
Ahead of the ceremony, Sonia called on the President at the VIP lounge, while the Prime Minister joined them in the hallway of the presidential palace which was decorated with rare pictures of Indira, Bangabandhu and her photographs with Bangabandhu’s family when she visited Bangladesh in 1972, months after its independence.
The three were then ceremonially escorted to the Darbar Hall of the presidential palace where dignitaries were waiting to witness the nearly one-hour ceremony that began with Bangladesh’s national anthem.
Sonia, in a nostalgic tone, said, “memories and emotions flood the mind” as she joined the ceremony to receive the award. She paid rich tributes to Indira as well as Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Speaking on the occasion, Sheikh Hasina paid homage to Indian soldiers of Bangladesh-India Friendship Forces as well as Indira for their sacrifices for Bangladesh’s liberation. “I am personally grateful to the Indian government and Indira Gandhi for providing shelter to my sister, Sheikh Rehana, and my family after the assassination of my father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in 1975 along with most of our family members,” Hasina said. “That was really an invaluable support extended to us during our time of distress”, she added.
The dignitaries witnessed a video documentary with rare footages of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Indira at the end of which Sonia was handed over the crest.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s daughter, Saima Hossain, Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, who is also the chairperson of the national committee on conferring honour on friends of Bangladesh who made major contributions to the country’s War of Liberation, spoke on the occasion. The State Minister for Liberation War Affairs, Capt (retd) A B Tajul Islam, gave the welcome speech.
Apart from the highest state honour to the late Indian premier, the government has also decided to acknowledge the contribution of 47 other foreign friends and five international organisations to the 1971 War of Liberation, but they would be given awards under two other categories to be called “Muktijuddho Sanmanona” and “Muktijuddho Maitree Sanmanona”.
Indira was India’s premier in 1971 when she travelled across the world to mobilise support for Bangladesh’s Liberation War against Pakistan, while Bangladeshi freedom fighters were trained on the Indian soil and given small weapons to fight back the occupation forces.
Her government provided food and makeshift shelter to an estimated one crore or 10 million people who fled their homes to evade atrocities by the Pakistani troops.
Earlier in the day, Sonia paid rich tributes to the Liberation War martyrs and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as she visited the National Memorial at Savar and 32 Dhanmondi.
She placed wreaths at the National Memorial and stood in silence. She planted a sapling of “Bokul” tree on the memorial premises.
The INC chief then signed the visitors’ book. She was accompanied by the State Minister for Liberation War Affairs, Captain (retd) AB Tajul Islam. Sonia then visited the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at 32 Dhanmondi where she placed wreaths to Bangabandhu’s mural.
“The Bangalee nation and the people of the world will remember him (Bangabandhu) forever for his role,” an official accompanying Sonia quoted her as having said during her 20-minute visit to the museum.
The museum’s curator, Siddiqur Rahman, showed Sonia around Bangbandhu’s historic residence, which has been turned into a museum. “She was visibly moved seeing the place where Bangabandhu was gunned down and a picture of her assassinated mother-in-law with Bangladesh’s founding father,” the official said.
-With The Independent input
